by Hamel, B. B.
I wait in the hall. It’s not a long wait. When she comes out, she’s dressed in her work attire, looking put together and radiant.
“Ready, Mr. Griffin?”
I chuckle at her. “I’m ready, Ms. Martin.”
She follows me into the elevator, her work mask on, and I can’t help but smile the whole way down.
* * *
The first presentation of the morning takes place in their surprisingly large auditorium. I guess they get a lot of guest speakers here, if they’re going to have a room like this.
I stand up on the stage, the curtain half-drawn. My employees filter in and, for the briefest of moments, I feel nervous.
I don’t know why. I never feel nervous.
“You okay?” Taylor asks me.
I look at her. “Fine.”
“Not getting the jitters?”
“No. Are we all ready?”
“All ready. I set it up just like you said.”
“Good.” I look back at the crowd. There are probably fifty people out there. It’s not a huge number, but it’s every single person that really matters in this company. “Wish me luck.”
“Good luck, boss.”
I glance at her with a little smile. She’s smiling back.
When I turn toward the crowd and stride onto the stage, I don’t feel nervous at all.
“Good morning, people!”
Everyone claps, although there’s not a lot of enthusiasm.
“I know it’s early and half of you are hungover, but come on. Give me a better greeting then that!”
More cheers, better this time.
“So, I’m sure you all have a good idea of why you’re here,” I say to the crowd. “It’s because of that.”
I turn and point at the large, shrouded table behind me. There’s a big, red cover over top of it, blocking what’s underneath from sight.
“And I bet a few of you know what it is. But we’re finally unveiling it and making it public, so come on, get a little excited, okay?”
More applause. I grin at the crowd, warming to the moment.
“As you’re all aware, we started this bus initiative when I came on as CEO. It’s been a hard road, but we worked with our stellar partners in manufacturing and we actually built something that matters. Public transportation is a serious issue, and automating it with self-driving vehicles has the potential to save the city millions of dollars, making transportation equal for everyone, and actually helping with street-level congestion. This has the potential to change the world, people. It’s not just a bunch of stupid old school buses!”
More cheering, more applause.
“This is why we do what we do,” I say loudly. “AI is here to change the world and we’re at the forefront of that. When we release these buses onto the Philly streets, we’ll be doing something nobody has ever done before. We’ll be the first, ladies and gentlemen. And it’s because of all of you that we’re here.”
Louder cheers, even some whistles.
I put up my hands and wait for the room to settle.
I catch Carol’s smile from the corner of my eye.
It barely registers. Carol, smiling?
But I don’t stop. I turn toward the shroud.
“Here is just a taste of the reality,” I say, my voice soft but projecting. “Ladies and gentlemen, the model of the future.”
I grab the shroud and pull it off, revealing the model city I showed Taylor.
The crowd erupts into applause and cheers. I grin at them as the model is projected onto the screen above me. It really is an impressive thing… but the model itself isn’t the important part.
“So, this is just plastic and plaster, right?” I say to everyone as they slowly calm. “But it’s actually more than that. This is a map, or a model of the abstract nature of what we’re doing. Take a look, everyone, at the future.”
I hit a button on the model and step back.
Nothing happens.
The room shifts uncomfortably. I step up to it and press the button again.
I smile uncertainly. “Sorry, folks, technical issue. Of course.”
Some awkward laughter.
I check the power cord, I check the cables. Taylor comes out, looking wild-eyed. “I set it up like you said,” she hisses. “I swear.”
“I know,” I say back.
Together, we try to troubleshoot. Eventually, one of the engineers that helped to build it comes onto the stage as the crowd starts to talk to each other.
The engineer’s name is Malik. He bends over the power panel, jiggling cables, and lets out a groan.
“Here, Baker,” he says.
I join him, looking at the panel.
“See this?” He points at a little piece. “There should be two more of them. They must’ve broken off, so the model’s not getting any power right now.”
I frown. Sure enough, he’s right. There’s space on the circuit board for more capacitors, but it looks like they were just ripped out of the solder.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive. Most’ve broken in transit. I’m sorry, Baker.”
“It’s okay. Thanks for helping.”
He turns away and bashfully heads to his seat.
I look over at the crowd.
Everyone looks uncomfortable.
Everyone but Carol.
She’s beaming. Almost laughing.
Fuck.
The weird, cryptic comment she made comes drifting back to me. The way her eyes seemed to sparkle this morning.
She did this.
“Well, folks, it looks like the future has broken,” I say, and I even get a few laughs. “The power module got busted in transit, but that’s okay. We’ll get it fixed and unveil it back at the office. Needless to say, it’s impressive, just like our bus tech.”
From there, the presentation goes smoothly, although the enthusiasm has noticeably dampened.
But I feel a black air fall over the room. Maybe it’s just my mood. I can’t say for sure.
When I finally finish and step down for the next speaker to take over, Taylor meets me off to the side of the speaking area.
“What happened?” she hisses. “It really just broke?”
“No,” I say softly, glancing at the crowd. Carol’s still beaming, still gloating.
Taylor follows my gaze. I feel her stiffen as she figures it out.
“No way,” she whispers.
I just nod once and walk away.
Fucking Carol. She did this. She’s not done with us, not by a long shot. This is just her first move and there will be more.
As much as I want Taylor… I need to be even more careful.
Our enemy is on the move.
13
Taylor
After the botched presentation, I spend the rest of the day shadowing Baker.
I keep my distance. I think he wants it that way.
Mostly because I swear I can feel Carol watching everything I do.
I knew this was going to happen. Sooner or later that psycho lizard was going to make her move. I hate that she did it to Baker. He didn’t need to be embarrassed like that. If I’m the one she’s mad at, she should come at me.
I’m angry but I’m also afraid. I don’t want to be the reason Baker gets in trouble. He didn’t do anything wrong when he took me from Carol and he’s not doing anything wrong when he sleeps with me.
Because I want it. God, I want it.
Last night was incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that before in my life. Baker is huge… talented… he knows just how to touch me. It sends a shiver down my spine just thinking about what he can make me feel.
Sweat on my skin, his lips on my lips, his cock buried deep between my legs making my body glow with him.
That’s what I want right now. But I know I can’t have it. Not after what happened.
I can still see Carol’s grinning face in my mind. It’s so horrifying, so creepy. She doesn’t smile… she’s grimacing.
&n
bsp; It’s a strange, terrifying thing.
“Good work today,” Baker says after the mandatory group lunch. “You can have the afternoon off.”
“Yeah?”
“Sure. Go for a walk. Take a look around.”
“What’ll you be doing?”
He gives me a long look, almost searching. I want him to say he’ll be meeting me back in my room, but I know better than that.
“I have to spend more time with the other managers. Go have some fun.”
“See you later then?”
“Sure.” He nods a little distantly then walks off. I watch him go, hating myself for wanting him to come back and kiss me.
I wander around the grounds for a little while. Normally, I’d find a quiet spot and read, but I left my phone in my room, not thinking I’d need it. Everyone has some free time off so I end up talking with a group of engineers out back. They’re nice people and pretty funny.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like that before,” Malik says. “Those caps shouldn’t have broken off like that.”
“Yeah, well, shit happens,” another engineer named Peter says. “I’ve seen some wild stuff in my time.”
“You didn’t see it though. It was like they were snapped off.”
“Shifted in flight?” I offer.
Malik shrugs. “Maybe. I had that thing wrapped up in like ten layers of protection though.”
“Shit. Happens.” Peter gives him a smug smirk and the others just laugh.
Peter has no clue. Malik might suspect, but he’ll never go all the way.
People have no idea what Carol is capable of.
Honestly, it makes me afraid.
I kill a little more time with them. Around four thirty, I decide to head back to my room and shower before dinner. I’ve been feeling a little crummy from walking around.
I ride the elevator up, trying not to think about Baker. I keep picturing him in that shower, his cock stiff and thick and long, my hands wrapped around his girth. I keep feeling him bury himself inside of me, his tongue around my ass, his cock pumping in and out, his hands spanking my ass…
I’m thinking about the handprints on my skin as I unlock my door and step inside.
Something is wrong.
It hits me right away.
I’m not sure what though, not instantly. I let the door slowly close. The click makes me jump.
“Hello?”
No reply.
I step into the room and look around. At first, I don’t see anything wrong… but then I notice the pillows.
They were on the couch before. Now they’re on the floor.
I walk further into the room. There are open drawers on the cabinets. The bottles have been moved.
I frown. Maybe the maids got a little too aggressive in cleaning?
But I know it’s not that.
I head into my bedroom, my heart pulsing so hard I feel like my eyes might go black.
I push open the door and find my things thrown everywhere.
Terror hits me. I stand still, totally still. I can’t move a muscle.
“Hello?” I finally manage to call out.
Again, no reply.
The first thing I do is check every possible space. I look under the bed, in the bathroom, in the closet. There’s nobody waiting for me.
The room’s empty.
And my things are still thrown all around.
I sit on the edge of the bed and survey the mess.
What the hell happened here?
It takes me a while before I can force myself to move again. I find my phone right where I left it earlier, still on my nightstand… but moved.
Nothing’s missing though. My jewelry was spilled on the floor, my makeup scattered in the bathroom, but nothing is wrong.
Nothing was stolen.
So why would someone do this? Did I forget to tip a maid and she wanted to take it out on me?
Maybe this was Baker. Maybe he’s playing a weird joke…
But I know it’s not that.
I can’t help myself. I grab my phone and walk away from the mess. The longer I stay near it, the worse it feels. I have to put some distance between me and the fact that someone broke into my room.
I feel so violated. I’m shivering with it as I step into the hallway.
I don’t know what to do. I could call the police or go to the front desk…
But instead, I knock on Baker’s door.
There’s a long, silent, agonizing moment where he doesn’t answer. I stare at his door, wondering what I’m going to do if he’s not there, terrified to do anything other than stand and wait and hope.
I knock again, preparing myself to stand here all night, shaking and praying whoever went into my room doesn’t come back.
But slowly the door opens.
“Taylor?” he asks, cocking his head to the side.
I stare at him for a second, not sure what to say.
He steps toward me. “Is everything okay?”
He must be able to see it in my face.
“I’m fine,” I say. “But my room… someone was in there.”
His frown gets deeper. “What do you mean?”
“Someone went through my things.”
“Show me.”
I lead him back into my room and he silently looks around at the mess. He doesn’t say anything, not at first. He just takes it all in with a stoic frown, staring all around him, up until we get into my bedroom where the mess is the worst.
He slowly turns to me and takes my hands.
“Taylor, I need you to think for a second,” he says gently. “Did you leave your room key anywhere?”
“No,” I say. “I swear. I didn’t.”
“Even for a second. Did you just put your bag down and turn your back even for a second?”
I wrack my brain… “I was talking to this group of engineers,” I say. “I put my bag down and was listening to them. I didn’t… I mean, I didn’t lose it. I have it right here.”
He clenches his jaw. “Okay. Maybe they got in another way. But that’s even worse.”
“What do we do?”
“Come with me.”
He leads me back to his room. We step inside and he slams down the deadbolt, locking the door completely, even sliding the chain into place. Now even the maid service won’t be able to get in.
“Sit,” he says, leading me to a couch.
I sit down and watch him, feeling dizzy. He goes to the bar and pours two drinks. He pushes one into my hand.
“Drink.”
I sip it. I’m not a whiskey fan but once it hits my lips, I can’t help myself. There’s not a lot in the glass but I throw it back anyway.
He nods once and sits down next to me. “I’m sorry, Taylor,” he whispers with a sigh.
“Why are you sorry?”
“This is my fault.”
“I don’t see how.”
“Carol…” He trails off, glancing away.
“You think Carol did this?”
“I don’t know,” he admits. “Could’ve just been a robbery. Was anything taken?”
“No,” I say.
He clenches his jaw. “So then someone went through your things for another reason. Can you think of anyone that would want to do that?”
“Other than Carol?” I ask him.
He nods gravely.
We sit in silence for a minute and I stare at the bottom of my glass, watching what last drop swirl in little patterns and finally collect in one small corner.
“You’re going to stay with me for the rest of the trip.”
He says it so confidently. I stare at him like he’s insane.
“Seriously,” he presses. “You’re not staying in that room alone.”
“If it was Carol, do you really think she’d… hurt me?”
“No,” he says. “She’s a psycho, but not that kind.”
“So then why stay with you?”
He’s quiet for a moment. �
�Because I want to make sure you’re safe, no matter what.”
“Baker, you can’t really think that—”
He takes my hands suddenly in an almost desperate gesture. He holds them tight, pulling them against his chest. His eyes pierce into mine and there’s a quiet desperation in the way he looks at me, angry but also pleading.
“Stay with me,” he whispers.
“People might notice. They might talk.”
“Fuck them. We can tell the truth.”
“That someone broke into my room?”
“Exactly. I offered to stay with you to make you feel safe.”
“I don’t know.”
“Taylor.” His hands tighten. “I won’t risk you.”
I stare at him… and I want it.
I want to stay with him, despite the risk.
Not because I feel unsafe, although I do. I feel violated and angry and disgusted. I don’t know how Carol got into my room, or if it even was Carol, but I feel like nothing is safe now. Especially not that room.
But beyond that, I want to stay with him because I want to be around him. I want to wake up with him, go to sleep with him. I want him to touch my skin, kiss my lips, tell me that everything will be okay and mean it.
I want him. God, I want him and it’s so stupid.
He leans forward, lips brushing against mine in the softest kiss.
“Say you’ll stay.”
“I’ll stay.”
He kisses me again, a little harder. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Taylor.”
“I know you won’t.”
He kisses me again, this time lingering, and I feel a spike through my skin as he releases my hands and grabs my hair tight.
14
Baker
There’s no question in my mind. As soon as she tells me that nothing was taken, I know it was Carol looking for something to use against me.
It’s obvious. She didn’t even try to hide it.
That’s what worries me. She didn’t try to hide it… which means that maybe, just maybe, she found something.
I can’t let that worry me right now. I won’t let it. I have to push that aside…
And enjoy the moment.
Because what I said to Taylor is important. I mean it, to the bottom of my heart. I won’t let anything bad happen to her, no matter what. I don’t think Carol will get physically violent, but I do think she might do something else, something potentially worse.